A cursory view of vaccine ingredients shows that some vaccines such as the MMR (Measles, Mumps & Rubella) and Varicella (Chickenpox) do contain porcine gelatin to protect vaccine viruses from adverse conditions. However, there are gelatin-free alternatives available in some countries (see the footnotes below for further details). [iv][v][vi][vii][viii]

Regarding the rubella vaccine, it is erroneously assumed that the rubella vaccine includes fetal tissue or fetal cells because this vaccine was initially developed from an aborted fetus in the 1960’s. In reality, there is no fetal tissue or cells in the present day rubella vaccine. [ix][x][xi]

[vii] “Porcine gelatin is an ingredient in one of the MMR vaccines currently used in Scotland. If you have any concerns about this, please speak to your GP as there are alternative MMR vaccines available which do not contain porcine gelatin.”

[viii] “The vaccine with gelatin which is used widely in Britain is made by Aventis Pasteur, while Merck makes another vaccine containing porcine gelatin which is used widely across the world, but not in the UK. Another vaccine used in the UK is made by Priorix and is free of the material.”

[ix] “Rubella vaccination is grown in a cell culture called MRC5. This was developed in the 1960s from a small number of cells taken from a single fetus that had been aborted on medical grounds. During manufacturing the rigorous purification process removes all traces of the cells that the vaccine has grown in. There is no fetal tissue or fetal cells in this, or any other vaccine.”

[xi] “The production of a few vaccines, including those for varicella, rubella, and hepatitis A, involves growing the viruses in human cell culture…No fetal tissue has been added since the cell lines were originally created.”